Are You Suitable?

Right after I lost my job, Tony asked me if I was going to apply for unemployment. That hadn't occurred to me; because I though only full time workers could claim it (and I didn't put in 40 hours a week at the preschool) However, I found out I was wrong. After I filled out the easy online application, I learned that I'll be getting a percentage of the maximum benefit.

In order to receive unemployment, each week I have to search for work by contacting three employers. Last week my contacts were all online, from leads I found on state job search website or other career sites. I applied for four jobs, either by filling out an application or submitting my resume, but I didn't think anything would come of them. Friday afternoon I got home from running errands and there was a message from the HR department of one of the jobs I'd applied for (a temporary, part-time job working for a testing center). The message asked if I was available Monday morning for a phone interview. Of COURSE I was!

First thing Monday morning I made sure the phone was on the hook so the battery would be charged up. A half hour before the appointed time I had all my papers laid out on the kitchen table-my resume, the job posting, and information about the company I'd found on their Website. I felt hungry, so I ate a handful of nuts. Ten minutes before my appointment I used the bathroom, turned off the radio, and sat in front of my computer for some mindless game playing. I was ready when the phone rang right at the appointed time.

The interviewer was calling from the company's corporate office. After a bit of chit-chat, she got right to work. Why did I want this job? What computer programs was I familiar with? Could I lift 20 pounds if necessary? Next, she moved onto the dreaded behavioral questions. Fortunately I had thought about the answers to some of the more common ones, so I was able to articulate something suitable. After all the questions were asked and answered, the interviewer said she'd email me an application to fill out.

Ten minutes after I hung up the phone it rang again. I heard the same friendly voice of my interviewer, offering me a chance to come into the test center today for a face-to-face interview!

This morning I went to the gym, then came home and tried to make myself presentable. After all the gardening I've been doing my fingernails needed attention, and my hair was unruly because of all the humidity in the air. I also stewed over my interview outfit. If an office is described as "business casual", do you wear your interview suit, or something else?

Although the office is only 25 minutes from my house, I gave myself twice that much time to get there. Of course nothing out of the ordinary happened and I arrived much too early, but killed the extra time by browsing at a store across the street from the building. Five minutes before my appointment I gathered my things, took one last look in the mirror, and went in.

I think the interview went well, but as the old saying goes Don't call us, we'll call you.